Love Changes Everything
by Nik Strata
Summary: When Soto sent Diego to capture a human baby, he never thought she would go with him. She never left the pack. Soto wouldn't let her. Diego knew him. He didn't change his mind often. Diego knew she snuck away. What he didn't know was why. She had a good life. She didn't have to hunt for her food, or anything. What was so bad that it drove her away? Why would she leave like that?
1. Chapter One: Kiara

_**Chapter One: Kiara**_

Kiara glared at her reflection, the sound of the roaring waterfall filling her ears. It was because of her dark fur that Soto, the pack leader, wouldn't let her hunt. After the human settlement killed half their pack, he became even more decisive about who went hunting and when.

Her fur caused her to get more attention from the surviving males, all agreeing it made her a rarity. All of them, save a saber named Diego, agreed she was more beautiful than the other females, though the only one to act on his thoughts was Soto himself. He never tried anything with her; he just didn't allow the other males to get too close to her.

Her glare darkened. _I'm not some piece of eye-candy. I can hunt as well as they can. Not during the day, but I can still hunt._

Kiara wasn't the only female. A few others survived the human "raid."

Vespera.

Layla.

Maura.

He allowed them to hunt. It made Kiara hate her fur color, and made her jealous of them. Soto never let her stay alone; afraid she would sneak away and hunt by herself. He made sure that someone else was with her at all times. Most of the time, she slept.

When one of the girls stayed with her, however, she stayed awake and talked to them about whatever came to mind. They made a point to tell her that they agreed with the guys: someone as beautiful as _her_ shouldn't have to work for their food.

Although, they each admitted to wanting to see her hunt, even if it were a one-time thing—something that always made her smile.

"Kiara," calls Vespera, "it's time to go back to the cave. I'm staying with you tomorrow."

Kiara sighed, turning to her. Vespera's yellow eyes greeted her, along with her gorgeous burnt-orange coat. "I just want to go once. That's all I ask. One time," she says.  
Vespera let out a laugh as they slowly walked back to the cave, seeing the rest of the pack resting. Soto smiled when he saw her.

Kiara refused to meet his gaze, lying down near the back of the cave. He stalked toward her, lying next to her. She couldn't say anything to him about it. He was the leader; she was the underling. If she said anything against him, he could kill her without a second thought.

She threw a glance to Vespera, who looked at her with sorrow in her eyes.

Kiara slowly put her head on her paws, quickly falling asleep.

* * *

Opening her eyes at the sound of Diego's voice, Kiara tried to hear what he was saying. His words sounded muffled. She glanced around, noting Soto was no longer beside her—something she reveled in for a moment before getting up and stretching her muscles.

She moved closer to the cave's entrance, seeing Vespera already there, the sun just coming up. She sat beside her silently, waiting for the others to return. Kiara didn't know where they'd gone this time, or what they'd bring back. She never did. Soto made sure of that.

Vespera knew. Kiara knew she knew. Unfortunately, it seemed Soto thought of everything. He ordered them silent about where they hunted and what they intended to bring back. He wanted her ignorant.

It wasn't long before they returned. At least, as far as Kiara knew. She woke up to Soto shouting orders. Apparently, Diego failed in whatever Soto asked of him. Kiara felt sorry for him. He was the "lieutenant" in their pack—the one Soto trusted most of all.

Soto lay down next to her. She could practically see the gears in his head turning as he thought of ways to provide food for them.

As usual, Kiara thought up ways to change her fur color. She did this on days where she couldn't safely go to the waterfall and brood over what happened during the day. When she tried to go earlier, she found humans. Given the fact that they had spears in their hands, she assumed they were hunting something, and ran away as fast as she could back to the cave. Soto didn't know. She wasn't going to tell him, either.

He would take what freedom she had away from her if she did. He allowed her to do everything except hunt. She wanted to keep things that way.

Finally, Soto stood. "We're going to Half Peak. Diego will meet us there."

Kiara perked up. _Thank you, Diego! I can leave!_

Vespera, Maura, and Layla looked to her, silently happy for her. She hated staying with the pack all the time. Soto never allowed her to venture too far off. He allowed her to go to the waterfall near the human settlement, but nothing past that.

Maura nodded her head toward them, silently telling Kiara to walk with them. They stayed behind the guys a little ways so they could speak without risking their lives.

"So, we've been thinking," Layla starts.

"We know how much you hate it here with Mr. Possessive always on you about not going anywhere, and," Vespera adds.

"We've decided to help you escape," Maura finishes.

Kiara stared at them, slightly bewildered. "You… you mean escape as in 'get away from here?' That escape?" she asks.

They nod. "Wait until we stop for the night," Maura commands. "We'll be waiting for you."


	2. Chapter Two: Diego

_**Chapter Two: Diego**_

Diego followed the scent of the baby, picking up a subtler, yet more familiar scent fast approaching him. He'd only been gone a day. How could one of them track him down so fast? He froze, realizing who it was. He turned just in time to land on his back as she knocked him over. Her pale green eyes stared at him, wide and full of excitement.

"Kiara?!" he asked incredulously.

"Diego!" she exclaimed. "I found you!"

"What are you doing here?! If Soto finds out about this…"

She waved him off, getting off him. "Don't worry about it. The girls are handling that."

Diego sighed. Soto would kill him if he knew Kiara was with him. She was the most beautiful saber Diego knew, and Soto knew how he felt about her. The problem was that Soto felt the same way, and, as pack leader, got priority over him.

He looked to her, seeing her eyes roaming everywhere. She was taking everything in—reminding Diego of a newborn cub, curious and trusting.

He sighed again, getting back on track. "Well, I won't be the one to send you back. C'mon, we've got a job to do."

* * *

Diego curiously watched a sloth carrying the baby. He was going to climb up the mountain with it, if he assessed the situation right. The green sloth struggled to get even a few feet off the mountain.

The mammoth with him was yelling about how he was an embarrassment to nature, earning a chuckle from Diego, and a slight glare from Kiara.

The baby started slipping from the sloth's arms, causing Kiara to gasp. Before Diego could stop her, she took off, running at them. Diego growled. _Why do you have to have such a strong maternal instinct, Kiara?! It's gonna get you killed one day!_

The sloth caught the baby with his clawed feet. "Manny!" he exclaimed.

The baby slipped. The mammoth, Manny, if Diego had to guess, got ready to catch him with his trunk, only for Kiara to snatch him in midair. Diego caught up to her as the mammoth took the baby from her mouth.

She growled as Diego joined her, swiping at him. They realized how the situation must've seemed, their minds clearing up.

Diego cleared his throat, pointing toward the baby. "That pink thing is ours."

The sloth fell from the mountain. "No. Actually, that pink thing belongs to us," he says with a lisp.

"'Us?' You two are a bit of an odd couple. At least Kiara and I are the same species."

The mammoth looked pointedly at the sloth, setting the baby down. "There is no 'us.'"

Kiara joined in the conversation, keeping her eyes trained on the baby. "I see. Can't have one of your own, so…"

"You want to adopt," Diego finishes.

Kiara stepped down from their ledge as the sloth pulled the baby toward him. "Look, I'm sorry to interrupt your snack, but we gotta go," he says.

Diego knew the look Kiara was giving him. "The baby? Please. We were returning him to his herd," she admits.

Diego felt a little guilty at hearing her say that. She really didn't know what they were going to do with the kid.

"Oh, yeah. Nice try, bucktooth."

Diego stepped in. "Are you calling her a liar?" he questions, stepping toward the sloth in a threateningly protective way.

"I didn't say that," the sloth quickly manages to spit out.

"You were thinkin' it," Diego growls, leaning down toward him.

The sloth put a clawed hand in front of his mouth. "I don't like this cat. He reads minds," he whispers.

Diego and Kiara straightened up. "Name's Diego, friend," he pointed to Kiara, "That's Kiara."

"Manfred," the mammoth says, "and I'm not your friend."

"Fine, Manfred. If you're lookin' for the humans, you're wastin' your time. They left this morning."

"Thanks for the advice. Now beat it." Manfred turned to the sloth. "Alright, I'll help you bring it to its herd, but promise me that you'll leave me alone after that."

Kiara looked to Diego as they walked away. "What do we do now? We can't exactly take them down and him ourselves."

Diego settled his vivid green eyes on her. "They're probably going up the mountain. Let's meet them there."

She smiled, nodding. "This is gonna be fun!"

* * *

Diego looked back to Kiara, who was trailing behind him slowly. "C'mon, Kiara! You can look at things later!"

She gave him an apologetic look. "Sorry!" she calls, running to catch up to him.

Diego paused, hearing voices.

"What are you doin'? Just drop it on the ledge." The mammoth, Manfred, commands.

The baby appeared a moment later, crawling toward Kiara. Diego watched her eyes soften. She loved babies. He knew she'd make a good mother someday.

"Shouldn't we make sure they found him?" the sloth asks.

"Good idea."

The sloth landed on his butt a foot away from the baby, Manny ignoring his screams of protest. "Don't spear me!" the sloth exclaims as though humans are surrounding him. He covered his front with his hands. It took a minute before he realized the humans were gone. "This is a problem," he tells Manny as the mammoth stomped toward him.

"Now what?" Manny asks in a bored, apathetic tone.

Diego looked at what was left of the human settlement. The tents were down and smoke filled the sky from their fires. He looked to Kiara, who watched the baby to make sure he didn't get hurt.

The baby reached for a necklace that was a little too high for him to get a hold on. He lost balance soon enough, falling into a basket. He must've kept crawling because the basket didn't stop moving as he cooed.

Kiara sighed. "So precious," she murmurs, looking to Diego. "I love kids. They're just… so adorable!" she squealed.

Guilt ripped through him still. He didn't want her to know why he needed the baby. It would break her heart, and that was something Diego couldn't stand.

Diego stalked toward Manny as the baby—Roshan, as Kiara insisted—fell into another basket. "I told you they were gone."

"Well, look who it is. Don't the two of you have some poor defenseless animal to disembowel?" questions Manny.

The sloth walked over to them, staring at the ground. "They couldn't be far. I mean, they went this way, or this way?" he walked in several directions, not really knowing any answers.

"You don't know much about tracking, do you?" asks Kiara, sitting down beside Diego.

The sloth broke a stick. "Hey, I'mma sloth. I see a tree; eat a leaf. That's my tracking."

"Not very good at it, are you?"

"You didn't miss them by much," Diego interrupts, shooting her a pointed look. He nodded to a stick. "It's still green. They headed north two hours ago."

Kiara growled at the sloth as he mocked Diego, putting his broken stick pieces in the corners of his mouth. He quickly stopped, throwing them over his shoulder with a nervous chuckle.

Roshan rolled in the basket, causing a fish to land on Manny's trunk. Roshan giggled, clapping his hands.

"You don't need this aggravation," he says, watching the fish slide off Manny's trunk, a sour look on the mammoth's face. "Give us the baby. Kiara and I can both track humans down a lot faster than you can."

Manny looked offended. "And you're just two good citizens helpin' out, right?"

"I just know where the humans are going." Diego pulled Roshan over to Kiara, who looked at him gleefully.

"Glacier Pass. Everybody knows they have a settlement on the other side." Manny picked Roshan up with his trunk, pulling him away from Kiara.

"Well, unless you know how to track, you'll never reach them before the pass closes up with snow. Which should be, like, tomorrow. So, you can give the baby to us, or go get lost in a blizzard. It's your choice."

Manny thought it through for a moment. He picked Roshan up, handing him to the sloth. "Here's your little bundle of joy. We're returning it to the humans."

The sloth looked at them, smiling mockingly as he put a hand on Diego's nose. "The big, bad tigey-wigey and his girlfriend get left behind. Poor tigey-wigey."

Diego growled. "She's not my…"

Manny interrupted him. "Sid, tigey-wigey and his girlfriend are gonna lead the way."

The smiled disappeared from Sid's lips as Diego shot him a vicious half smile. "Manny, can I talk to you for a second?" he carried Roshan away, quickly running to Manny.

"No," Manny says quickly. "The sooner we find the humans, the sooner I get rid of Mr. Stinky Droll-Face. And the baby, too."

Diego stalks toward Sid threateningly circling him. "You won't always have Jumbo around to protect you. And when that day comes, I suggest you watch your back, 'cause I'll be chewin' on it."

Kiara sighed. "Diego, let's go. I'm not sure you'll want to eat him, given his scent."

"Hey, Über-trackers! Up front, where I can see you!" Manny calls back to them.

Diego looks to Kiara, nodding her along. _This definitely hasn't been how I wanted things to go._ _At least Soto can't get her now._ He smirked to himself, staring at her. He was the only male saber around her. He didn't have to compete with him anymore. _On second thought, this might not be so bad._

* * *

 **[A/N]** I'm sorry if these chapters are short, and not good! I'm trying to get into the character, and not switch halfway through! Also,  I would really love to know what you like/dislike about this "story," if that's okay with y'all. I'll try to have one or two chapter(s) a week done and posted, although I can't make any promises! The school year is coming to a close, so I'll have to update my other fanfics, and I get easily distracted...

Anyways, let me know what you think! I take any and all criticism or complements that you may have.


	3. Chapter Three: Kiara

_**Chapter Three: Kiara**_

Kiara bit her tongue, chewing on it in an attempt to ignore Roshan's loud cries. If there was one thing she couldn't stand, it was listening to a child or infant cry. It got to her more so than the rest of the herd. She could tell.

Manny turned to Sid, who wouldn't let her take care of Roshan. "Please, you gotta make it stop. I can't take it anymore!"

Diego agreed. "I've eaten things that didn't complain this much."

"Please! Let me take care of him!" Kiara whines.

Manny turned to Sid, who carried Roshan upside down in his arms. "Let her take the baby, Sid!"

"He won't stop squirming," Sid complains as Roshan kicked at him.

"You're holding him wrong! Watch his head!" Kiara growls.

"Just put it down!" Diego exclaims, glaring at him.

Sid set him down on a rock.

"Its nose is dry," Diego suggests.

"That means something's wrong with it," Sid pointed to Roshan, who wailed at the top of his lungs.

"Someone should lick it. Just in case."

"I'll do it," Sid volunteers.

"Hey, he's wearing one of those baby thingies," Manny points out.

"So?" asks Sid, his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

"So, if he poops, where does it go?" Manny glares at his stupidity.

"Guys, I don't think that's the problem," Kiara tries to say, her voice drowned out by Manny telling Sid to check for poop.

"Why am I the poop-checker?"

"Because, returning the runt was your idea. Because you're small and insignificant, and because I'll pummel you if you don't," Manny threatens, leaning over Sid, poking him with his trunk.

Sid checked Roshan's diaper. "I mean my goodness. Alright, look out; look out. Coming through," Sid waves the wadded up diaper around the others.

Kiara glared at him as he told them it was clean right before it landed on Manny's trunk. "Guys!" she yells, trying to get their attention. "He's hungry. He's a little baby, and needs more food than we do, so I suggest we find him some."

Manny hit Sid on the head, earning a goofy face from him, getting Roshan to stop crying for a moment. Kiara growled as they ignored her still.

"Hey, do that again," Diego says, "He likes it."

Manny hit him again. "It's makin' me feel better too."

Sid, slightly dazed, tried to hand Roshan to Kiara. "Here, you hold it."

Diego hit him this time as Kiara took Roshan away from him, humming the tune of an old lullaby her mother taught to her and her sister. He quieted for a moment, staring at her in curiosity.

Roshan reached over toward Sid, attempting to slap him. Kiara giggled as Diego took him from her. "Turn him towards me," he commands.

Diego stood on his hind legs, looking Roshan in the face. He put his paws in front of his face. "Where's the baby?" he asked. He moved his paws away from his eyes. "There he is!" he yelled, his maw getting in Roshan's face. Diego did it again, louder this time, causing Roshan to cry even harder than before.

Kiara pushed Diego away from him. "Stop it, Diego! You're scaring him."

Roshan stopped crying as his stomach growled.

"What'd I tell you? He's hungry. Did any of you listen? No." Kiara pointedly looks at each of them. "He's a little guy. He needs food more often."

"How about some milk?" Manny asks.

"I'd love some," Sid raises his hand.

"Not you. The baby." Diego nods to Roshan, who started crying again.

"I ain't exactly lactating right now, pal." Sid and Diego are nose-to-nose now. "Ask Kiara. Maybe she is."

Diego growls at the suggestion. "You're a little low on the food chain to make comments like that…"

Manny stops him in the middle of his threat. "Enough!" his loud voice echoed a few times in the cavern they were in.

Before anyone could say anything more, the sound of a bush falling gained their attention. The herd turned, seeing a watermelon on the ground. "Food!" everyone yells.

Manny grabbed it with his trunk. As he moved back to Roshan, a small bird—a dodo, Kiara noticed—took the watermelon from him, carrying it in its beak, squawking at him as it did.

The dodo ran away, squawking one last time.

* * *

"I don't know, but I've been told," a dodo begins, others repeating it, "End of the world be mighty cold."

"Prepare for the ice age!" another shouts, sitting on a nest of twigs.

"Protect the dodo way of life!" a third exclaims.

"Survival separates the dodos from the beasts!" a fourth adds, a stick in its wing, acting like a baton.

Kiara rolled her eyes as the ones on nests repeated everything like a mantra.

"Ice age?" asks Sid.

"I've heard of these crackpots," Diego comments, earning a giggle from Kiara.

The dodo who took Roshan's melon noticed them, letting out a loud squawking sound. "Intruders!" he bellows, running to the others. He didn't slow down enough to stop before running into a pit of hot tar, and dying.

Manny led them down to where three melons sat on a tree stump, handing Roshan to Sid. "Hey, can we have our melon back? Junior's hungry, and…"

A dodo interrupted him, hopping over to them, standing on the melon. "No way. This is our private stockpile for the ice age. Subarctic temperatures will force us underground for a million billion years." Other dodos surrounded him.

"So you got three melons?" Kiara questions, "That won't exactly feed all of you. Besides, we're asking for one, not all three of them."

"If you weren't smart enough to plan ahead, then doom on you," the dodo replies.

"Doom on you. Doom on you," the others chant, their claws clicking on the ground as they stepped toward the herd.

The dodo slipped off the melon, causing it to roll toward Sid and Roshan, who gurgled as he caught it. "Retrieve the melon. Tae kwon dodos, attack!" the dodo commands.

Several dodos jumped into the air, one of them landing backwards. The backwards turned around, kicking one of the others away, prompting the other to attack it.

Kiara laughed. _They hurt themselves more than they hurt others! This is gonna be great!_

Her laughter stopped when the dodo landed near Roshan, kicking the melon from his tiny hands. Another dodo jumped up, catching it in its beak and passing it along to others. Unfortunately, they sent it off the mountain, a large group of the dodos running after it and dying.

Kiara took Roshan as Sid went to steal one of the remaining melons. They noticed him, swarming him and stacking themselves up until one of them could kick it away from him with its talons. Regrettably, the dodo kicked it to the tar pit, causing three more dodo casualties, and the 'death' of the second melon.

The dodos gasp in unison. "The last melon," they turn, seeing it in Sid's claws before swarming him, causing it to fly to Manny, who held it above their heads.

Kiara picked Roshan up with her teeth gently. "Let's get you away from the chaos, yeah? Leave this to the men." She giggled to herself as Roshan cooed, clapping his hands together.

The melon flew into the air as Manny let out a loud, echoing yelp. It hit several dodos on the head before making its way into Sid's hands. Sid stares at it for a moment, before looking up at the dodos, who step toward him simultaneously. They surround him.

Kiara took Roshan to Manny as the baby reached toward Sid pleadingly. She watches as Sid runs through the dodos in front of him, pushing past a group of them. Others surround him. He sends some flying and even ends up stacking a few of them on top of each other. A final wave surrounds him, causing Sid to jump over them, reaching a height Kiara didn't think he ever would reach. When he lands, Roshan cheers, and Manny raises the toddler in the air a little ways with his trunk. Kiara and Diego shoot half smiles to each other.

"He did it," Kiara whispers excitedly.

"Yeah," Diego replies with slightly less enthusiasm.

Sid jumps into the air again, holding the melon over his head. When he lands, he starts dancing with a smile on his face. He jumps again, throwing the melon onto the ground this time.

"Augh, Sid. Now we gotta find more food," Diego groans.

"I don't think so, Diego. He's eating just fine," Kiara nods to Roshan, whose face is stained red from the melon he was enjoying. He shoots her a tight-lipped smile.  
Kiara turns her attention from Roshan to a group of dodos Sid piled on top of each other. They were trying to go somewhere, failing miserably. "Hey, look at that," Manny proclaims, "Dinner and a show."

They watch the dodos until they fall off the cliff before continuing their journey.

* * *

 **[A/N]** Hey guys! So, this is the new chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. I'm sorry to end it off here, but I have plans for the next chapter that require Diego's 'view' of things. Sorry about that! Anyways,  thanks to all those who reviewed. I really appreciate them. It lets me know y'all care. I'd also like to add that this'll be the first fanfic I get done simply because I've been obsessed with Ice Age recently.


	4. Chapter Four: Diego

_**Chapter Four: Diego**_

Manny picked Roshan up with his trunk as Kiara lay down next to Diego, "Bedtime, squirt."

Diego looked to Kiara, seeing her pale green eyes glowing in the moonlight, making her even more beautiful. He stared at her for a moment, her gaze meeting his.

"Diego? Do you need anything?" her voice was soft, most likely not wanting to disturb Roshan.

"No, it's fine. I'm fine. Go to sleep," he murmurs back, laying head down on his paws. Kiara followed suit, closing her eyes.

"Oh, the triumphant return," he hears Manny say in a sarcastic voice.

Sid must've gotten back from finding food.

"Huh? Oh, that," Sid chuckles nervously, "I'm so full. How about a good-night kiss for you big buddy, Sid?"

Manny hushed him. "He's asleep."

"I was talking to you."

Diego repressed giving Sid an odd look that would ruin his façade.

"Fine, I'll tuck myself in," Sid decides.

Diego could hear him shifting and grunting as he tried to get comfortable. He opened his eyes, an irritated look on his face. "Will you cut that out? Kiara and the baby are trying to sleep," he growls lowly.

"All right, all right. I'm just trying to relax," Sid lay down again on his rock, finally going to sleep.

Diego looks down to the sleeping saber next to him, glad he didn't wake her accidentally. He lay down on his paws, resuming his façade until he knew Manny was asleep.

He opened his eyes, moving away from Kiara as silently as he possibly could. He moved to Roshan, who slept wrapped in Manny's trunk. He checked again, making sure everyone remained asleep, a smirk on his lips as he reached for Roshan, elongating his claws. Worriedly, he retracted them at the sound of Sid snoring.

He shot the sleeping sloth a menacing look before trying again. Manny subconsciously stopped him, pulling Roshan closer in his sleep. Diego almost tried a third time before something by Kiara caught his attention. He stalked toward, ready to pounce should it try to attack her. A low growl emanated from his throat as bushes rustled a few yards away from her.

Diego jumped, pouncing. A grunt escaped the creature as they flipped and rolled down a hill, Diego landing on top of them. He got ready to claw them before noticing a familiar face. "What the…?"

"Go ahead, slice me. It'll be the last thing you ever do." Zeke challenges with a slight smirk.

"I'm workin' here, you waste of fur." Diego shoots back.

"Frustrated, Diego?" Oscar's voice inquires mockingly. "Tracking down helpless infants too difficult for you?"

Diego got off Zeke. "What are you two doin' here?"

"Soto's getting tired of waiting."

Zeke agreed, "Yeah, yeah. He said, 'Come back with the baby and Kiara, or don't come back at all.'" Zeke laughed.

Diego glares at them. "Well, I have a message for Soto. Tell him I'm bringing the baby and Kiara." Diego turns to walk back up the cliff. "And tell him we're bringing… a mammoth." He smiles viciously at them.

"A mammoth?!" Zeke asks in wonder.

Oscar disagrees, giving Zeke a look. "Mammoths never travel alone. Besides, Kiara can't hunt."

"Well this one does, and I'm leading him to Half Peak. Kiara doesn't know what we're doing with the baby or the mammoth, and I'm making sure she doesn't find out." Diego peers over the edge of the cliff, seeing Manny and the others were sleeping peacefully.

Zeke hums. "Look at all that meat." he crouches down, springing a foot forward. "Let's get him!"

"Not yet," Diego stops him. "We'll need the whole pack to bring this mammoth down." Diego leads Zeke back up onto their overview. "Get everyone ready," he checks behind him, making sure Kiara didn't wake with the noise. She was a light sleeper. Diego turns, seeing they hadn't moved. "Now!" he softly snaps.

Zeke disappears in an instant, leaving Oscar for a moment. Oscar gives him one last look before following Zeke and getting back to Soto. Diego softly sighed, going back to Kiara and lying down next to her. _Be glad Soto doesn't let you hunt, Kiara. It's a lot of work for just one saber._

* * *

Diego woke to Manny's stomping toward him. "Where's the baby?" he demands, leaning down toward him.

"You lost it?" Diego questions, eyes wide. "Where's Kiara?" he looks next to him, noting her absence. Panic swelled in his chest. What if she managed to find out and took him?

Kiara stepped toward them, calming Diego down slightly. "Morning, guys," she greets with a half-smile. "Where's Junior?"

Diego and Manny look to each other and then back to her as realization dawns on all of them. "Sid!" they call.

Kiara sniffs the air for a moment. "That smell... what is it?"

Diego joined her. "Hey, I smell it too."

They sniffed around until it led in a few different directions. "We'll go this way. Manny, check the other way." Diego commands.

Manny walks in the other direction, keeping his eyes peeled for Sid and Roshan.

After a few minutes of sniffing around, Kiara and Diego found Sid running toward them, Roshan nowhere in sight.

"Oh, thank goodness. Thank goodness." Sid murmurs, putting his claws up in prayer. He leaned away from them, cupping his mouth with a claw, "Oh no! Tigers! Help! Help!" he shouts overdramatically.

"Where's the baby?" Diego presses intimidatingly.

"Oh, he's fine—Manfred has him. Just put me in your mouth. C'mon. Hurry up." Sid replies, worriedly looking over his shoulder. He resumes his act, dramatically groaning and shouting, "He got me!" Sid groans again, "Help!"

"Get away from me," Diego says, turning away from him, Kiara following.

"It went this way," a new voice bellows as stomping hooves cause the ground to rumble.

Diego rears back as Sid kicks his hind leg, getting a little too close to another part of his anatomy. He roared, his teeth not quite squishing Sid's long neck. Kiara shoots him an odd look as two rhinos slowly come to a stop in front of them, seeing Diego sitting next to Kiara with a 'dead' sloth in his teeth.

"Doh, Carl! The tigers beat us to him!" one pouts, swinging his head in defeat.

Carl steps toward them, earning a slightly nervous look from Diego as Kiara tries to contain her laughter. "Wait a minute," Carl mutters, sniffing him. "He's dead all right," he proclaims in disgust.

"Doh!" the other rhino complains as they stomp away, "Carnivores have all the fun."

Sid took in a breath, rubbing the back of his head. "Oh gosh, I hate breaking their hearts like that. But you know how it is," he tries to get out of Diego's mouth, but the saber keeps his jaws set, growling each time he tries. Sid calls for Manny, who has Roshan in his trunk.

"Guys, I thought we were in a hurry. And, Diego, spit that out. You don't where it's been," Manny claims as he walks by them.

Diego's eyes widen as Kiara bursts in laughter. Diego drops Sid, glaring at him.

Sid slowly gets up. "Boy. For a second there, I actually thought you were gonna eat me."

"I don't eat junk food," Diego retorts walking away, Kiara joining him.

* * *

The journey continued on, Diego and Kiara leading the way as Sid dragged behind.

"Come on, wait up. Wait up. Come on, come on, Can you wait a second, please?" he begs, the others ignoring him.

Kiara excitedly jumped around in the snow, causing Diego to laugh. "Why are you so excited, Kiara? It's not like you've never seen snow before."

"True, but it's also not every day that I get to go places as it snows."

Diego shook his head, getting them back on track. Kiara was slightly naïve, and very kind—something that reminded Diego of his mother and father. His mother, bless her, was easily trusting and protective. His father was kind, and a very adept hunter—something Diego liked to think he got from him.

Manny suggested they stop to give Sid a chance to catch up with them. He said the sloth's complaining was giving him a headache. They stopped by a geyser as Sid caught up with them.

"Thanks for waiting," he gasps, falling on his back.

Diego, Manny, and Kiara glance to each other. "Three, two, one..."

Sid flew into the air as the geyser erupted. They turned away from him as Roshan gurgled from atop Manny's head. "Sure is faithful," the mammoth comments.

After getting some distance away from the geyser, Manny hands Roshan to Sid.

Diego shot a curious look to Kiara who stared back at them. "Why is Sid poking the baby?"

Diego shrugged as Manny looked back to them. "Don't make me reach back there," he threatens, reminding Diego of a father scolding his cubs.

"He started it," Sid retorts.

"I don't care who started it, I'll finish it."

Kiara sighed, moving ahead, Diego following her, speeding up.

* * *

The herd stops as a hollow stump emits a red light. Diego watches, slightly impressed, as an ice ship sails past them. The hollow stump let out a green light that reminded Diego of Kiara's eyes.

They kept moving, coming across an ice platform that moved in their favor as more weight pressed on one side. All of them except Sid made it across.

About an hour later, Diego and Kiara lead them past a group of stones, earning a comment from Manny: "Modern architecture. It'll never last."

They were almost to Half Peak when Diego found the first sign of him and Kiara's pack. He glanced to her, seeing her with Manny and Sid, Roshan riding on Manny's head, just as he had for the last few hours. Diego erased the paw print, turning into the shape of a human foot.

Manny gave him a look as he pointed in the direction the footprint was going.

Not long after that, Diego lead them to a frozen pond. He suggested they go around, but Manny disagreed, saying it would be quicker to go over it. He was sure to regret it now, though. Diego, Kiara, and Manny struggled to get across the ice while Sid skated across it with ease.

"Hiya, Manny," he greets as he skates by, Roshan on his head.

Sid fluidly moves toward Diego, skating around him in a circle, "Hi, Diego."

Lastly, he makes his way to Kiara. "What's up, Kiara."

"Don't drop Junior!" she calls, worry lacing her voice.

Sid, showing off a little more, crashed into a large piece of ice, Roshan falling onto the ice a little ways away. "What did I just say?!" Kiara exclaims, irritated as she manages to get to the edge of the pond, taking Roshan with her.

Diego smirks. _Yep. Just like mom._

* * *

 **[A/N]** I hope you enjoyed the fourth chapter! Once again, thank you for all reviews! I hope the last part wasn't too... what's the word... hasty? Yeah, let's go with that. It was during the montage scene thing, and I didn't want to leave it out. Let me know any of you want that rewritten... Also, I love you guys, and I want you to know that you should never be scared to point out errors in my grammar. I wouldn't be mad, I would actually be very happy about it, cause that means that y'all are helping me make the story better.

I'm also sorry if any of the characters are OOC (Out Of Character)! There's not much data on Diego's early life, so I kinda just made his parents into new characters. Hope you don't mind...

Anyways, I hope you have a good time and a great week!


	5. Chapter Five: Diego

"You're lost, aren't you?" Manny questions as they come across a forked pathway.

"No," Diego replies defensively, "I know exactly where we are."

Kiara saw a saber-tooth squirrel ahead of them. "Let's ask this guy for directions."

"No, Kiara, we don't need directions."

"Fine. I'll ask him," Manny proclaims, turning to the squirrel. "Hey, buddy. You see any humans go by here?"

The squirrel shook his head, holding an acorn in his tiny hands. He scratched his head before something came to his mind.

Sid steps forward, fascinated. "I love this game. I love this game. Okay. Okay."

The squirrel held up three claws.

"Three words."

It put two down.

"First word."

The squirrel stomped on the ground.

"Stomp."

It shook its head, jumping in irritation, causing Sid to retract his word, saying 'Stamp' instead.

Kiara sighed. "This is going nowhere fast," she mumbles.

Diego smirked. "This is why I didn't want to ask for directions."

She gave him a look. "What is with guys and asking directions? It's not hard."

Manny joined in the game, getting Diego's attention as he guessed correctly. The squirrel gave a vicious look. "Pack of teeth," Sid guesses.

The squirrel motioned to its claws. "And claws," Sid adds.

Diego, who was checking his claws, immediately retracted them, giving the squirrel a menacing look. _If this keeps up, Kiara's gonna figure out what I'm up to. Can't have that._

With Kiara joining in, guessing things it could be with Manny and Sid, she didn't notice the squirrel pointing between her and Diego. Diego glared at the squirrel at it marched toward him, a sour look on its face. He flicked it away effortlessly.

"So much for getting help," Kiara comments, stepping over to Diego after taking Roshan away from Sid. He rested on her muscular shoulder blades, gurgling and patting her head excitedly.

They picked the widest pathway available and kept moving. Diego offered to take Roshan to make traveling more comfortable for Kiara, but she insisted she was fine, a smile on her lips.

As they continued, Manny took Roshan from Kiara. Snow started falling at a quicker pace than normal, the wind blowing quickly against them. It was so cold that ice formed on Diego and Kiara's teeth. He trudged closer to her, attempting to keep both of them warm.

It wasn't long before they got out of the blizzard and decided to rest for a moment. They were almost to Half Peak. Another few hours of traveling, and that would be it. Kiara would hate him. He knew that, and didn't like how it haunted him.

He didn't want _her_ to hate him. Others, he could deal with. But her? Nope.

Hoping to clear his head, Diego moved forward, scouting ahead. What he saw shocked him. _Humans? This close to us? That's not good._ He quickly looked around, seeing a cave not too far away. Relief filled him as he realized they could go through it without seeing the humans at all.

"Hey!" he calls; jumping toward Kiara and the others as they nearly reached him. "Great news. I found a shortcut."

Roshan cooed, sliding down Manny's trunk, a squeal escaping his small form.

Manny caught him, setting the baby back on his head. "Whaddya mean shortcut?"

"I mean faster than the long way around."

Manny yelped in pain as Roshan fell again, landing closer to his eye before trying to climb back to where he was. "I know what a shortcut is."

"Look. Either we slip through we beat the humans to Glacier Pass, or we take the long way and miss 'em."

Kiara walked over to them as Manny handed the baby to her. "Through there? Are you sure that's safe for Junior?"

"I wouldn't've suggested it if weren't," Diego looked up to Manny, a slightly smirk on his lips, "Besides, this time tomorrow, you could be a free mammoth. Or a nanny. Personally, I never get tired of peekaboo."

Sid ran towards them with two cylindrical pieces of ice in his claws. "Hey, guys. Guys. Check this out," he put them on either side of his neck, acting like a dying sloth, stumbling around.

"Sid, the tiger found a shortcut," Manny says, pointing to Diego with his trunk.

Sid moved the pieces of ice away from his neck, looking at the shortcut Diego found. He dropped the ice. "No thanks, I choose life."

Diego growled at him, getting in his face. "Then I suggest you take the shortcut."

"Are you threatening me?"

"Move, sloth!" Diego bellowed, his voice echoing several times.

"I'm not so sure that was a smart move, Diego," Kiara comments as ice started to fall away from the mountain of their shortcut. "Get in the cave!" she calls, moving quickly enough to keep Roshan from falling off her back.

Diego follows, right on her tail, almost bumping into her when she stops. "You okay, Kiara?" he asks, worry in his voice.

"I'm fine," she replies, Manny and Sid joining them as ice blocks the mouth of the cave, preventing them from leaving. "Okay, I'm slightly less fine, now."

Hearing a noise above them, Diego looks up, seeing very sharp and pointy ice crystals moving slightly as though they were about to fall on the herd. Diego immediately covers Kiara and Roshan. When the sound stopped, he looked up again, seeing the crystals had stopped moving. With a relieved sigh, he got off her as Manny took Roshan, placing him on top of his head again.

"Okay," proclaims Manny, "I vote shortcut."

The rest nod along, and move further into the cave.

Diego chuckled as Kiara, once again, was exploring the cave. "You gotta admit this place is beautiful," she calls, taking in everything.

"Is she always like this?" Manny whispers.

"Like what?" Diego questions.

"Adventurous and excitable."

Diego nodded. "Yes."

They continue to watch her in amusement. Panic and fear spread through Diego's veins as he lost sight of her. "Kiara! Come back here with us. It's easy to get lost in here."

She happily trotted back to them, a bounce in her step. Diego sighed. "Can you not do that?"

"I'm only exploring. It's not like I'm putting myself in danger or anything."

"Yeah, but it worries me. What if you got lost in here?"

"I'd find my way out eventually. You don't need to worry about me, Diego. Although it is sweet, I can take care of myself."

Diego tried to hide his blush as Manny snapped at Sid, telling him to keep up. Diego and Kiara stopped, looking back at them as Roshan slid past them on an ice slide. Kiara gasped, running after him immediately.

Diego and the others stared, wide-eyed, as Roshan and Kiara disappeared. They each let a scream, scrambling after them. He heard Roshan cries of joy as well as Kiara's pleas for him to stop sliding. He jumped after them, followed by the others. They were all in a panic, worrying about the baby.

"Come back here!" he heard Kiara call, sounding somewhat hysterical.

They continued down the slide, unable to stop themselves, each going down a different tube before flying around each other in the air, when their tubes stopped. Kiara and Sid ended up going down the same one, following Roshan.

Diego put a limb on four sides of his tube, claws out, fear ripping through him as he screamed, falling and landing on Manny's back, earning a cry from the mammoth. Kiara landed higher up than he did a moment before.

"Captain, iceberg ahead!" exclaims Sid.

Manny desperately tries to stop, managing to for about five seconds before felling the slab of ice they were on falling forward. "Oh no," moan Diego and Kiara a moment before they fall.

Screams rip through them all as they come across a spiky ice floor, the 'iceberg' being the only thing that kept them safe and unpenetrated by it. The ice didn't last long, but neither did the spikes. It wasn't long before they were on different tracks, Kiara in front of Diego this time. She knelt down, gaining speed, Diego following suit.

They were all racing to get the baby back, who was in his own track. Kiara knelt further, gaining even more speed, Diego right on her tail. Manny noticed, lying completely on his stomach, moving past them a little ways. Sid was the closest to Roshan, and tried grabbing him, only to miss when Roshan's track curved a little toward Manny's track. Sid sighed in frustration.

Kiara let out a fearful gasp as Roshan's pathway ended before theirs, sending the baby flying. Manny turned around, moving to catch him. Diego vaguely heard Sid scream louder before hearing a crashing sound. He looked ahead of them, Kiara's screams filling his ears before they crashed into an ice wall, covering the sloth-shaped hole already there, burying them in snow as Manny crashed too, Roshan in his trunk.

Roshan's laughing was the only thing Diego heard for a moment, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He emerged from the snow and ice excitedly. "Woah! Woo!" he bumped his claw against Manny's leg as Kiara surfaced not too far from him. "Yeah! Who's up for round two?" he excitedly exclaims, earning a giggle from Kiara. The others looked at him funnily, snapping Diego to his senses. He cleared his throat, "T-Tell the kid to be more careful," he manages, looking away from them, bashful.

After getting out of the snow, they walked the rest of the way silently. Kiara wasn't exploring, Sid wasn't ranting, and Manny wasn't telling Sid to shut up. Roshan was the only one making noise, gurgling and cooing in Sid's arms.

Kiara gasped, looking up. Diego, wondering what she saw, looks up as well, seeing cave drawings above them. Diego tried to look disinterested as they walked by, but couldn't help but notice a few pictures of a few mammoths. They stumbled into a bigger, much lighter cave. Diego noticed more drawings with more color to them.

"These are... gorgeous," Kiara whispers in amazement.

 _Not as gorgeous as you._ Diego smirked, stepping toward her as she and Diego followed Sid, who came across a drawing of sabers hunting down an animal. It scared Roshan, the baby cowering in Sid's arms.

"No, it's okay, it's okay. Look, the tigers are just playing tag with the antelope," Sid reassures. "With their teeth," he adds a moment later.

"Come on, Sid," Diego smirks, "let's play tag. You're it."

Sid chortled nervously in response.

Kiara hummed. "Diego?" she inquired, "Is that what hunting's like?"

Diego wasn't sure about whether or not he should answer. He thought it over for a minute, figuring Soto didn't _have_ to know everything they did getting the baby. He looked to the drawing again, "Yeah. That's usually how it goes."

"I kinda wanna try it."

"I'd be more than happy to see you hunt something, Kiara," Diego gives her a nervous half smile. "Although, I don't think Soto would feel the same way."

She huffed. "I don't care how he feels. He can go..."

"Oh, look, Manny," Sid interrupts, "a mammoth."

"Oh. Somebody pinch me," Manny retorts in a bored tone, non-stopping.

Diego steps over to see the mammoth drawing Sid was pointing at. Kiara follows him, the usual look of curiosity in her pale green eyes. Her eyes seemed light, a great contrast to her dark fur that Diego loved.

"Hey, hey, this fat one looks just like you," Sid points to a different mammoth. "Awe, and he's got a family."

Manny stopped, turning back to them.

"And, he's happy. Look, he's playing with his kid."

Manny stood on the other side of Kiara.

Sid continued, "See, Manny? That's your problem. That's what mammoths are supposed to do."

Diego looked to Manny, seeing sadness in his eyes. He could tell the drawing was of him, his mate, and their child. "Sid," he murmurs in an effort to interrupt the sloth's rant.

It didn't work. Sid kept going, "Find a she-mmoth, have little baby mammoths, and..."

"Sid," Kiara spoke up, a somber note in her voice.

"What?"

"Shut up," Diego finishes, giving him a pointed look.

He turned his attention back to the mammoth drawing, picturing the events in his head. They flowed together so well it looked like the drawing itself was moving. The pictures showed a depressing sight: Manny's wife and child backed against a corner, with Manny too injured to save them. Humans surrounded them as Manny called out to his wife in desperation.

Diego looked to Manny as tears welled in the mammoth's eyes, his trunk reaching out to the drawing of his child, running down the length of it until he came across Roshan's tiny hand. He blinked, surprised, his tears going away.

Roshan stood on two legs, looking up at the mammoth. Before he fell, Manny caught him. He picked him, holding him for a second, as Roshan smiled at him. Manny hugged him to his trunk, the baby hugging back as best he could.

Diego heard a sniffle, turning to see Kiara with tears in her eyes. "That's so sweet," she whispers before blinking away her tears.

Diego nuzzled her. "It's okay, Kiara." he murmurs lowly, feeling extremely guilty.

He was the last to leave, giving the drawing one last look. _I can't do this to them. There's no way._

* * *

 **[A/N]** June 2 nd, 2016 13:37-13:45

Okay, so that's the fifth chapter. Hope ya'll enjoyed it! I'd like to say thanks to all of y'all for taking your time and reading this story. We only have a few more chapters left before the first movie comes to a close, and we have to begin the second one... Anyways, I finally got to watch _Ice Age: Continental Drift_ last night, and I have to say: I like Shira and Granny more than I thought I would.

Love you guys!


	6. Chapter Six: Kiara

Kiara smiles, seeing Half Peak in the distance. _We should be able to get there in a few more hours._ Her gaze turns to Diego, who walks close by her. She frowns slightly. _Diego's been more protective and secretive lately. I wonder what he's trying to hide. Is it something Soto ordered him to keep quiet about? I hope not._

"Well, would you look at that? The tigers actually did it. There's Half Peak," Manny says. "Next stop: Glacier Pass." He looks to Kiara and Diego briefly, "How could I ever have doubted you?"

"Did you hear that, little fella?" Sid questions Roshan. "You're almost home."

Roshan gurgled from his place wrapped in Manny's trunk, clapping his hands.

"My feet are sweating," Sid points out, stopping a distance behind them.

Kiara let out a sound of utter disgust as Diego looks back to him, "Do we need a news flash every time your body does something?" he inquires.

"He's doin' it for attention. Just ignore him," Manny commands.

"Seriously. My feet are really hot!" he groaned in pain as he caught up to them.

Kiara cocked her head to the side, hearing a low rumbling sound. "Anyone else hear something rumbly?"

Manny and Diego stop. "Tell me that was your stomach," Manny murmurs, eyes wide.

Diego and Kiara hushed him.

"I'm sure it was just thunder," Sid suggests, "From underground?"

Kiara suppressed a scream as she turned, seeing the ice turning red behind them. The ice broke, lava and ash pouring out of the hole in it. The others screamed, running. She joined, getting further than any of them as the ice fell away around them because of the heat. More holes formed in the ice. Kiara almost ran into one, turning just in time to avoid it.

She was still ahead of the boys, sending them a worried glance over her shoulder. She saw Diego trapped on a small ice island, fear in his vivid green eyes. "Diego!" she calls, her voice laced with worry.

Sid was trying to run on the ice, although he wasn't actually moving. "Come on, keep up with me!"

Manny stopped behind him; Sid in his way as the ice fell away, creating a bridge. "I would if you were moving!" the mammoth snaps.

Sid falls as Diego jumps onto the platform. Kiara smiled briefly, running ahead to what she hoped was a safer place. "Come on, guys!" she bellows.

Diego lands on the platform, gaining Sid's attention. "Wow, I wish I could jump like that," he manages.

"Wish granted," Manny kicks the sloth into the air, Sid landing by Kiara.

"Come on! Move faster!" Diego exclaims in fear.

"Have you noticed the river of lava?" Manny retorts, looking down at it.

Manny jumps as the ice falls behind him falls away, leaving Diego on his own again.

Kiara gasps as the mammoth hands Roshan to her. "Hold Pinky," he demands before turning to rescue Diego, who was barely managing to hang on to the ledge of the ice.

Kiara pulls Roshan away, not being able to bare the sight of Diego dangling over lava. "Let's go over here, away from the lava, okay, Roshan?" she picks him, caring him in her mouth like her mother used to do to her.

She tried to block the sounds she heard, but couldn't as she heard a loud trumpet sound from Manny. Her eyes widened as she forced herself to look toward them, seeing Diego and Sid lying on the ground, shocked.

"Manny!" Sid cries a moment before a burst of steam forces a large slab of ice into the sky, Manny on it.

"Manny!" Kiara yells in excitement, handing Roshan to Sid.

He landed with a loud crash, destroying the ice he was one.

Sid stepped over to him. "Manny, Manny, Manny, are you okay? Come on, come on, say something. Anything."

Manny tried to reply, managing something under his breath.

Kiara helped Diego onto his feet, worriedly checking him over. "I'm fine, Kiara, really," he chuckles.

"Just making sure," she mumbles.

Kiara wasn't quite sure how she would handle Manny or Diego dying, but she was sure it wouldn't be a pretty sight. Another thing she was sure of: she'd be more tore up over Diego's death than anyone else's. She shook her head. _I shouldn't be feeling this way. Not after only a few days._

"Why did you do that?" Diego asks, turning from her to Manny. "You could've died trying to save me."

Manny gave him a smile, "That's what you do in a herd. You look out for each other."

"Well, thanks."

"I don't know about you guys, but this is the weirdest herd I've ever seen." Sid points out, looking to each of them.

"Yeah," Kiara giggles. "Two sabers, a sloth, and a mammoth. Plus, the baby, but he won't actually stay with us."

* * *

It was later in the night when a snowstorm picked up. They were slowly making their way to Half Peak. Kiara's eyes widened. _Soto said Diego was meeting us at Half Peak. Why are they going there? Why would Diego go separately from the rest of the pack?_

Realization dawned on her. _They're after..._ She inwardly growled. _They won't touch him as long as I'm still breathing! But, why is Diego doing this? Soto's probably forcing him to, but for what reason?_

"Guys, we gotta get this kid outta the wind." Manny calls over the roaring, windy snowstorm.

They quickly found a cave to rest in for the night.

"How much further?" Manny asks, glancing at the sabers.

"Three miles," Kiara and Diego retort simultaneously.

"I'm beat. We'll get there in the morning."

Kiara heard a scratching sound, turning toward it. Sid was drawing something on the cave wall with a rock. Before Kiara could ask anything, Diego beat her to it, "What are you doin'?"

"I'm putting sloths on the map," Sid replies.

They studied the poorly-drawn sloth.

"Why don't you make it realistic and draw him lying down?" Manny questions.

"And make him rounder," Diego adds as Manny takes the rock Sid was holding, adding to the drawing. "Perfect," the saber comments.

Kiara sighed, lying down, deciding to ignore them. She saw sparks fly onto some grass, catching on fire. Her eyes widen as she looks to Sid, who was calling himself a genius. They added more to the fire, making it bigger.

"From now on, you'll have to refer to me as Sid, Lord of the Flame," the sloth boasts.

"Hey, Lord of the Flame, your tail's on fire," Manny informs.

Sid panicked, running around the fire in a circle, causing Roshan to laugh from his place in front of Manny.

Kiara squealed. "Why is he so cute?" she looks to the baby from her spot by Diego.

Diego sighed, pulling Sid over to them and sitting him down in the snow. He let out a relieved sigh, thanking Diego.

"Thank you. From now on, I'm gonna call you Diego…" he starts.

"Lord of 'Touch Me and You're Dead.'" Diego interrupts, glaring at him.

Sid gasped in horror.

Diego grabbed him around the neck, rubbing his head. "Nah, I'm just kiddin', you little knucklehead."

Kiara sighed, shaking her head at them. She looks to Manny as he gets their attention. Roshan takes a couple steps toward the fire, gurgling and looking at them.

"I don't believe it," Sid murmurs in wonder.

Kiara and Diego look toward each other, half smiles on their faces. Roshan stumbles to Sid before turning and going to Diego.

"No, no, no. No, go to him," Diego shakes his head, nodding to Manny.

"Awe! Diego, he likes you!" Kiara exclaims, happiness evident in her voice.

Roshan laughed, holding his arms up. Diego stood as Kiara giggled. Roshan fell onto Diego's paws, hugging them. "Um... Okay," Diego looks to Kiara, uncomfortably, his ears flattened against his head. Roshan got his attention. "Good job. Um, keep practicin'."

Roshan turned, stumbling back to Manny, before falling down and sneezing.

"Look at that. Our little guy is growing up," Sid mumbles.

Roshan rubbed his eyes as Kiara yawned.

"All right, come on. Sleep time, lumpy." Manny picks Roshan up, lying down with him by the fire.

Kiara put her head on her paws, going to sleep almost instantly.

* * *

 **[A/N]** Hey, guys! Sorry I'm late! I have to say I think this chapter ended rather abruptly (in my opinion, at least), and for that I apologize. I've been busy helping out at my church, and doing summer assignments... Not fun.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter, and are willing to share your thoughts on it. Remember: I love you guys, and I hope you have the best time of your lives!


	7. Chapter Seven: Diego

Sid cleaned Roshan as they walked through Half Peak. Diego tried to ignore him, sticking close to Kiara as as snow flew quickly around them in the wind.

"Hey, Diego, what do you think?" Sid asks, holding Roshan up next to him.

Diego ignored him, looking up into the higher parts of Half Peak's rugged design. "Maybe we shouldn't do this," he says, his guilt finally getting to him enough to call everything off.

"Why not?" Kiara questions, worriedly looking to him.

"Because if we save him, he'll grow up to be a hunter. And who do you think he'll hunt?"

Sid steps in, "Maybe because we save him, he won't hunt us."

"Yeah, and maybe he'll grow fur, and a long skinny neck, and call you Mama!" Diego snaps.

Manny gave him a look. "What's your problem?"

Diego checked the peaks again. "Nothing. Let's go. I'm freezing my tail off."

The herd continued silently. Diego looked to Kiara worriedly. He didn't what her to hate him. He couldn't handle it. He stopped for a moment, checking the peaks again, seeing one of their pack turning away from him. Diego looked back to the herd feeling guiltier than he ever had.

"Hey, Diego," Manny calls, "You frozen back there?"

He gave in to his feelings. "Get down!"

Kiara gave him an odd look as they stopped in a small tunnel. "Diego, what's wrong?"

"What?" Manny agrees.

Diego hushed them. "Get down and follow me."

Sid held Roshan close to him. "What's goin' on?" he inquires.

Diego looked down, unable to see Kiara's expression. He didn't want to see her eyes fill with hatred for him as he admitted this. "At the bottom of Half Peak, there's an ambush waiting for you."

"What?"

"What do you mean, 'ambush'?" Manny asks.

"Diego, why are you doing this?" Kiara's voice is full of concern and disbelief, as if she already figured out what he meant.

Diego still couldn't face her. He was too ashamed of himself.

"You set us up!" Manny exclaims.

"It was my job!" Diego retorts, slightly louder. "I was supposed to get the baby, alone," he finally looks to Kiara, silently telling her that he didn't mean for this to happen, "but then..."

"You brought us home for dinner!"

"That's it. You're outta the herd!" Sid decides, pointing a claw at him.

"I'm sorry," Diego manages.

Manny lifts him, pressing him against the tunnel wall with his tusks, "No, you're not. Not yet."

Kiara tried to appease the mammoth before he killed Diego. "Please, Manny. You have to believe him!"

Manny looked to her out of the corner of his eye. "Why should I? Why should I listen to you? You were with him the whole time!"

"No, she wasn't. Kiara didn't know anything about this," Diego insists, defending her before the mammoth got to her. "Listen, I can help you," he bargained, struggling to breathe.

"Stay close, Sid. We can fight our way out."

"You can't. The pack's too strong. You have to trust me," Diego closes his eyes for a moment.

"Trust you?! Why in the world would we trust you?"

Diego paused for a moment, looking to Kiara, seeing her nodding to him. He looked back to Manny, "Because I'm your only chance. Kiara doesn't know what they're doing. She doesn't know how they're set up."

Diego came up with a plan quickly, explaining it to them. Manny and Sid were a little weary of him and Kiara, but he couldn't really blame them. Diego led Kiara to where the pack was waiting for them.

"Hello, ladies," he rumbles, walking closely by her.

He made up his mind. He wasn't going to let Soto have her. He knew about Kiara's dislike for the saber, and decided he'd rid her of it. Diego strode up to Soto as Kiara branched off, going to Maura, the only female remaining in the pack. Diego wasn't going to question where the other two were. They were probably watching for Manny and Sid.

"Diego, I was beginning to worry about you. And Kiara," Soto acknowledges him briefly, keeping his eyes trained on Kiara.

"No need to worry. In about two minutes, you'll be satisfying your taste for revenge."

"Very nice," Soto compliments, following him a ways.

Zeke pawed at the rock he waited on, "I see the sloth! And he's got the baby!"

Soto stood tall on the highest point he could reach. "Don't give away your positions until you see the mammoth," he commands. "He's the one we have to surprise."

Diego looked back to Kiara, nodding. She winked at him. He ignored his blushing face, stalking to Zeke, who, as usual, was very antsy. "You wanna maul something, don't you, Zeke?" he murmurs low enough for only Zeke to hear.

Zeke nodded vigorously. "I wanna maul," he whined.

"Then what are you waiting for?"

Diego smirked as Zeke took off toward Sid. The others followed, roaring.

"No! I said wait for the mammoth!" Soto bellows, angry at the insubordination.

He looked to Diego who shrugged. Soto growled, jumping from his rock. Diego and followed, glancing back to Kiara, seeing her lightly stepping toward them, keeping an eye out for the other girls. As far as Diego knew, they were completely loyal to the pack, and determined to follow Soto's orders of not letting Kiara join in the fight.

They took a detour, moving to meet up with Manny just as he threw a log at Zeke, Oscar, and Lenny. They tumbled over the edge of an incline, momentarily knocked out.

"Okay," Diego nods to Kiara, seeing she made safely, "Follow me. We'll pick up Sid and get outta here while we can."

Diego turned to leave when Soto's voice caused him to look back.

"Come on, Diego, let's bring this mammoth down."

Kiara glared at Soto. "How about not."

Soto growled at her as Vespera and Layla appeared behind him, growling at Kiara.

"Stay out of this, Beauty. We wouldn't want to hurt you," Vespera taunts.

"Listen to her. She knows what she's talking about. We don't want you ending up like Maura, would we?" Layla adds as they stalk to Kiara, pushing her away from Diego.

Diego growled at them. "Don't hurt her. Don't even touch her."

Soto chuckled darkly. "I see she's caught your eye too, Diego. Too bad she's already mine."

Diego turned to him, snarling. "She's not yours, Soto. She never was, and never will be."

Soto lunged at him, knocking Diego off his feet. Diego roared, clawing at him. He let his instincts take over as he fought. Soto was losing, though not by much. He quickly gained the upper hand as he pushed Diego onto his back. Before Diego could roll onto his paws, Soto pounced, pressing his head against the snow.

He chuckled again. "I win. She's mine. Now let's bring this mammoth down."

Diego looked over toward Kiara was, not seeing her anymore. Panic, fear, and worry rushed through his veins. Just pretend to do as Soto says, and you'll be fine. She'll be fine. They won't hurt her unless they have orders from Soto, and he won't allow that.

Diego got up from the snow, joining Soto as they cornered Manny. Diego pulled ahead of him somewhat, turning around, standing protectively in front of Manny.

"What are you doing?" Soto bellows. "First, Kiara, and now this?"

"Leave the mammoth and Kiara alone," Diego growled insistently as he glared at Soto.

Soto looked to either side of him as Oscar and Lenny stalked toward them.

"Fine. I'll take you down for good this time." Soto rumbles, slowly approaching them.

Diego and Soto snarled threateningly at each other as Soto pounced again, Diego meeting him halfway. He wasn't going to lose this time. He was sure of it. They landed on their feet as Diego swiped at him, getting the advantage. Soto crouched down before lunging, swiping at Diego with his claws, cornering him against Half Peak's rugged rocks.

Manny tried to save him, stopping only when Oscar and Lenny blocked his path. Diego kept fighting Soto off, feeling himself tiring. I can't give up. Not with Kiara and Manny depending on me. Diego attempted to claw Soto's back a moment before Soto threw him off, sending him sliding into a rock, his world dark.

* * *

Diego awoke to snarling, seeing Manny cornered with Soto going for his throat. With the last bit of his strength, Diego jumped, feeling Soto's sharp claws ripping through him. He slumped to the ground as pain forbade him from standing.

He vaguely heard Soto cackle. "Looks like Kiara's mine. And so is this mammoth."

Diego thought he heard Kiara shouting for him, telling him to get up. That can't be her. She's too... inexperienced to fight with Vespera and Layla.

Diego opened his eyes in time to see Soto's body impaled by shards of ice, killing him. He heard Manny growl at them as they ran away, Vespera and Layla limping away with them.

"Diego!" Kiara's worried voice filled his ears as he slowly panted.

She nuzzled him as he glanced to Sid and Manny. "We were... some team, huh?"

"Were?" asks Manny, "Come on. We're still a team."

"I'm sorry I set you up. Kiara, I'm sorry I lied." He looked to her, seeing tears streaming from her pale green eyes to her smooth dark fur.

"Please stop talking like that," she begs. "I can't stand it," she nuzzled him again.

Sid adjusted Roshan in his arms. "You know me—I'm too lazy to hold a grudge."

Sid set Roshan down, letting him crawl to Diego. Roshan gurgled sadly, patting his maw.

"Hey, knock it off, squirt." Diego manages, gasping. "You gotta be strong. You have to take care of Kiara, Manfred, and Sid. Especially Sid."

"C'mon, you can lick this. You're a tiger. Look, I'll carry you. Come on, whaddya say?" Sid offers. "Come on, Diego, come on."

"Diego, please. Please, I'm begging you, get up. Come on, you can do it," Kiara pleads, lightly pawing at him.

"Tell him he's gonna be okay, Manny," Sid looks up to the mammoth as Diego closes his eyes, feeling himself grow faint.

"Listen," he urges, "you have to leave me here. If those humans get through the pass, you'll never catch them."

Manny finally spoke up, "You didn't have to do that."

Diego sends him one last half smile, "That's what you do in a herd."

* * *

Diego slowly opened his eyes, seeing familiar green eyes full of tears looking over him. Her tears dripped onto his neck as he groaned, finally attempting to get up. I'm alive. I'm not dead.

Her sobs stop she notices his movement.

"Diego!" she cries cheerfully, jumping at him, careful not to hurt him even further.

He gave her a smile as he steadily got up to his paws. She helps him, keeping him steady as they limp to meet up with Manny and Sid.

When they finally find the duo, they're waving Roshan and his herd off. Sid repeatedly says 'bye,' as though Roshan can actually understand him.

Diego smirks as Kiara giggles.

"Come on Sid. Let's head south," Manny suggests.

Diego limps closer to them, smiling as Kiara nudges him along. He stops for a moment, seeing Roshan put his hands over his eyes. Diego smiles at him, putting a paw over his own eyes before uncovering them, and waving.

"Bye. Bye." Sid sniffles.

"Save your breath, Sid. You know humans can't talk." Diego comments as Kiara giggles.

He perked up, turning to them. "Diego? You're okay!"

"Nine lives, baby."

"You're okay!" Sid exclaims, tackling him, hugging his nape. The sloth rubs his head, punching his shoulder, earning a cry of pain from Diego. "I could kiss ya," Sid continues, kissing his head before wiping at his tongue in disgust.

Kiara laughed. "I'm glad you're okay, Diego," she nudges him lightly.

"Welcome back, partner. Wanna lift?" Manny offers.

Diego nudged Kiara back. "No thanks. I've gotta save whatever dignity I've got left."

"You're hangin' out with us now, buddy. Dignity's got nothing to do with it. I'll take that lift," Sid interjects.

Manny looked down at him. "Yeah, climb aboard. You wanna lift, Kiara?"

Kiara shook her head. "I'm fine, Manny. Thanks for the offer, but I think Diego still needs help, and I'd prefer to walk around a bit more."

Sid climbed onto Manny's head, "Mush!"

Manny gave him a look.

"Or not mush. Either way."

Diego shook his head fondly at them as Kiara helped him keep up with them.

"This is gonna be the best migration ever. I'm telling ya. I'll show you all my favorite watering holes. I turn brown when the fungus in my fur dries."

Kiara let out a sound of disgust at Sid's ramblings.

"Sounds very attractive," Manny mumbles sarcastically.

"Y'know this whole ice age thing is getting old. You know what I could go for? Global warming." he continues.

"Keep dreamin'," Diego comments, flashing a smile.

He ignored Sid's rambling, thinking about their adventure. He shook his head. This has gotta be the craziest herd ever. He looked to Kiara, who grinned at him, lightly nudging him again. But, I'm glad I'mma part of it.

* * *

 **[A/N]** Hey guys! So this is it. The final chapter of the first movie. I would like to say that I'm doing them all within this story, so you don't have to worry about links not working when trying to get to the next movie or whatever. Hope you enjoyed reading it so far! Anyways, I have some questions for you guys. You don't have to answer, but it would nice to know your opinions on them if I haven't already gotten them.

A) When do you think Kiara and Diego should get together?  
B) What do you like most about the story so far?

I love you guys, and I hope you have a wonderful time! :)


	8. Chapter Eight: Kiara

**Chapter Eight: Kiara**

Kiara laughed as she watched the group of kids from Sid's camp running around and chasing each other. She looked to the sloth, seeing him attempting to give them orders, failing miserably.

He blows into a shell, "No running, James. Camp rules."

She frowned when James didn't listen. _Why do I expect them to actually listen to him?_ He gave a few more orders, as if it were helping.

Some of the kids managed to wrap Sid's feet up in a vine, hanging him upside down. "Piñata!" one cries.

"Stop!" Sid yells, "You're supposed to wear blindfolds."

"Okay," a young beaver nods, holding a stick. She covers an eye, leaving the other one uncovered as she hit Sid with a stick on the head.

An aardvark tried to take the stick away, "Hey, it's my turn to hit the sloth!"

"Mine!" the beaver exclaims, pulling the stick back, hitting Sid again.

The aardvark pulled it back, hitting him again, "Mine!"

The cycle continued for a while more before the beaver completely takes the stick back, hitting Sid hard enough to knock him down. The kids crowd around him, yelling in excitement, as he lands with a grunt.

Kiara sighs, deciding he'd been tortured enough. "Guys, I hate to break it to you, but he doesn't have candy in him."

The crowd groans in disappointment before someone suggests they bury Sid.

"Hey, hey, whoa! Who said you kids could torture the sloth?" Manny asks as he joins her.

"Manny, don't squash their creativity," Diego scolds, following him.

"Diego, it's not squashing their creativity when they're bullying a defenseless creature," Kiara says, moving to his side.

He gave her a look, nudging her playfully. Kiara smiled brightly. In the past few months, Diego had gotten a bit more playful, joking around with her and things like that. It was almost like he wanted to atone for what he'd done with Roshan. Kiara forgave him when it happened, so she didn't really understand why he was being like this. They already had a nice friendship, and Manny and Sid only made it better.

"Hey, Manny! Diego! My bad mammal-jammals!" Sid's head pops up from where the kids buried him. "Wanna give a sloth a hand?"

Manny wraps his trunk around Sid's long neck, yanking him out of the ground by it before setting him down on his feet. "Look―I opened my camp. Campo del Sid. It means 'Camp of Sid."

"Congratulations. Now, you're an idiot in two languages," Diego commented.

"Sh! Not in front of the K-I-D-Z. These little guys love me! Right, Billy?"

"Don't make me eat you!" Billy threatened, despite being an herbivore. The others laughed as Sid waved the threat away.

"Ah, they kid. That's why they're called 'Kids.'"

Manny chimed in, pointing to himself and Kiara, "We've told you, Sid, you're not qualified to run a camp."

Sid waved his comment away, "Since when do qualifications have anything to do with child-care?" he fails to notice a kid wrapping a vine around his feet.

"Besides, these kids look up to me. I'm a role model to them!" the beaver finishes tying the knot, pulling Sid to the ground.

"I can see that," Diego says.

"Sid, I mean it when I say this, okay? I know that I'm not a mother myself, but I can at least say that I've had more experience taking care of children than you have. If anything, I am more qualified to take care of these kids than you are. Besides, what if someone got hurt? What would you do then? Do you know how to take care of things like that?" Kiara gives him a look as he flounders about, trying to get his bearings.

"You guys never think I can do anything, but I'm an equal member of this herd," he tapped his claw on the ground as he managed to get on his back. "I made this herd, so you need to start treating me with some respect!" he gets on his feet, still tied with vine, and hops away, leaving Diego, Kiara, and Manny calling after him.

"Hey! Let's play pin the tail on the mammoth," one kid suggested, others quickly agreeing.

Kiara cleared her throat, stepping in front of them. "Guys," the children stopped, listening to her, "how about a story instead," she turned to Manny, "I bet Manny has a great story to tell you, right, Manny?"

She could see him panic momentarily before something came to mind. "Yeah, I got something."

* * *

"…And so, in the end, the little burro reached his mommy, and they lived happily ever after."

The children cheered as Manny finished his tale.

"Good job," Diego commented from his place next to Kiara, lying on a rock.

"You did wonderful, Manny," Kiara beamed.

Some of the kids started asking questions, wondering why the burro went home instead of staying with the rabbits.

"Because… Because he wanted to be with his family," Manny answered.

"I think he should go with the girl burro; that's a better love story," said a small bird.

Manny lifted her off his tusk gently, "Okay, well, when you tell your burro story, that's what he'll do."

"Burro is a demeaning name. Technically, it's called a 'wild ass,'" said a fawn.

"Fine. The wild ass boy came home to his wild ass mother."

The kids―and Diego―laugh as Manny rephrases the story. "See! That's why I called it a burro!"

Other kids asked their questions and gave their comments, holding nothing back.

"They lived happily ever after! You can't get more satisfying than that! One big, happy family! That's the way it's supposed to be!"

"Then where's your big, happy family?" the small bird asks.

Kiara glances to Diego, giving him a nod. He stood up, adding in, "Then, the hungry tigers ate the pesky little kids."

The kids ran away, screaming in fear, as he jumped toward them, roaring.

"Manny? Are you okay?" Kiara asked in concern.

"Yeah, sure, why not?"

"We just thought you…"

"Story time's over!" he snapped.

Kiara went to say something else when a few kids ran by, as fast as their short legs would carry them, yelling about the world coming to an end. "Wait, what? Slow down, guys."

"Fast Tony! He says the world's gonna flood!"

Kiara smiled sweetly. "You guys just go play, okay? Don't worry about what Fast Tony is saying."

Diego called to her, "Kiara, c'mon! Let's go check this out!"

"Coming, Diego!"

* * *

 **[A/N]** Hey, guys! So sorry that this was late! I finally looked at this story again, realized how much I had in this chapter, and decided to end it here. Sorry if that's not so great a spot to end it, but I wanted to get something out to you guys... Look on the bright side though... We began the second movie!

Anyways, I have a question. Does Kiara seem more mature to you guys? I've been looking back at the fic, and I think she starts off naive and over the chapters of the first movie, becomes more mature... Anyone agree? Tell me if I'm wrong, please. I can't profile people, even my own characters, so I would like to know the answer to this, if you guys don't mind...

I hope to see you all again sometime soon! I love you! May you have the rest of the years of your lives be full of happiness! :)


	9. A Note

Hey, guys! I'm probably about to make some of you mad when I say this, but I feel like I need to rewrite this fic.

Don't worry, nothing's gonna change… character wise anyway… I want to do more with this, delve deeper into the emotions of the characters, and to do that, I feel that I have to rewrite it. It's gonna be hard for me to do, but I figure you guys can help me with what I struggle with… Hope you don't mind that I'm doing this.

Thank you so much for the support you've given me! I really appreciate it. I love you guys! See you soon! :)


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